LIVE FCSB – Petrolul, the first match since the “divorce” of Mirel Rădoi » Who will be on the red-blue bench

In full turbulence caused by the separation from Mirel Rădoi, the Romanian champion is back in action in the play-out, four days after the victory obtained on the Farului field, score 3-2. And this time, the red-blues meet another team involved in the fight for “survival”.

Petrolul, retrained with the installation of Topal, collected seven points in the last three matches and comes to Bucharest with the hope of tying another positive result. The people of Ploiești are the first over the line and they have no reason to be quiet, in the context in which they aimed to avoid the “dam”.

In the absence of a main coach, Tănase&Co. they will rely on the indications of the “seconds” Lucian Filip and Alin Stoica, the people appointed to lead the team until a new technician is appointed.

FCSB leads the hierarchy in the play-out, with 33 points and is mostly assured of the presence in the first of the “barriers” for the Conference League. Tonight's opponent is in sixth place, with a dowry of 23 points.

The game will be officiated by a brigade that will have George Găman in the center, an older “enemy” of MM Stoica.

FCSB – Petrolul, live from 20:30

FCSB – Petrolul Ploiesti, probable teams

FCSB: Matei Popa – Crețu, Dawa, M. Popescu, Joao Paulo – Fl. Tănase, Lixandru, D. Olaru – Oct. Popescu, Al. Stoian, Cisotti
Reserves: Târnovanu, L. Zima, A. Duarte, Arad, Toma, Pantea, Ngezana, Radunovic, Baba Alhassan, Thiam
Coach: Lucian Filip (interim)

The oil: Bălbarău – Ricardinho, Papp, Roche, A. Dumitrescu – M. Dulca, Jyry – R. Pop, Rafinha, Grozav – Chică-Roşa
Reserves: Aymbetov, N. Boateng, A. Dumitrache, V. Gheorghe, Hanca, Ignat, Krell, Ludewig, B. Marian, A. Mateiu, Prce, D. Rodrigues
Coach: Mehmet Topal

Stadium: National Arena (Bucharest)
Referee: George Cătălin Găman (Craiova) / A1: Adrian Vornicu (Iasi) / A2: Nicușor Marin (Suseni – Argeș) / VAR Referee: Adrian Viorel Cojocaru (Galați) / Referee AVAR: Bogdan Dumitrache (Bucharest) / R1: Cătălin Busi (Râmnicu Vâlcea) / Referees Observer: Florin Hincu (Brașov)

Real-time ranking in play-out

PHOTO GALLERY. FCSB – Petrolul rivalry, in pictures: derby with a special load and spectacular scenography

Lucian Filip: “Too many changes would harm the players”

Lucian Filip, who returns to the red-blue bench after being moved to the scouting department, spoke in Thursday's conference about the current state of mind at FCSB:

“It was a surprise, but not a big one (no Mirel Rădoi's departure). I had the feeling, at every match, that the collaboration between the coach and the owner could end. I was also part of the old staff, when performances were achieved. While Mirel Rădoi was there, I was present at most of the training sessions and saw how he worked. Through the experience gained over time, we want to substitute for a short period until the arrival of a trainer with a PRO license.

There were some things that didn't add up. For example, in the case of Chiricheș. The owner made it clear that he didn't want to play anymore, but the coach put him on the field and it was somehow a borderline situation.

The boys are fine, they couldn't be fine. It is important to maintain the same rhythm of the game and reach our goal.

Elias and Pinti worked in one way, Mirel, together with his staff, in another way. We don't want to change too much. The team comes after good results. A trainer with a PRO license will come, who will also change some things. There would be too many changes, and that could harm the players”, said Lucian Filip during the press conference.

Mehmet Topal is coming to Bucharest to win: “We are strong too, we are playing to win!”

It is an important match and, at the same time, very difficult, because we know that we are meeting a very strong team, which is based on high-quality players. But we are also strong, we have a tradition behind us, a history of 100 years, but also a good team, and as our mentality is we only play for victory, that's what we will fight for.

Petrol has not won away from FCSB for 11 years, but we hope to do it now.

This may also matter and we hope to take advantage of this situation. But, they will certainly have a coach on the bench, and a valuable team with quality players can get through such moments more easily.

Anyway, as I said before, every match is like a final. There are, in this play-out, teams fighting for the first position and others trying to escape relegation, so for everyone, the three points at stake are like “gold”, just as a failure can mean a huge loss.

– Mehmet Topal, Petrolul coach, according to fcpetrolul.ro

FCSB – Petrolul | Key data about the match, filtered by GSP statistician Liviu Manolache:

– March 7, 2026, FCSB-Universitatea Cluj 1-3 was the only defeat suffered by Bucharest in the last seven matches played in the championship at home, the rest five wins and a draw.

– Prahoven won four of the 18 away games in the current edition, and seven other times they ended in a tie.

– 32 of the 58 goals scored by the red-blues were beaten in the first half, of which 12 until the 15th minute.

– Petrol is the team with the most shots sent in the first five rounds of the play-out – 85 (FCSB – 78), of which 33 on goal (FCSB – 22).

– With 14 goals scored and eight assists, Florin Tănase is the player with the most offensive contributions in the 2025/2026 season.

– 507 fouls were committed by the Ploiești group during the current season (FCSB – 402), the most of all competitors.

– The players from Ploiești haven't won a match in the Super League against their rivals from Bucharest since April 9, 2015. when they won 1-0 at the National Arena (Gevaro Nepomuceno goal).

– The most recent match in the championship took place on November 22, 2025, FCSB-Petrolul 1-1, scorers Alexandru Stoian, respectively Robert Sălceanu.